Foot control for mechanically operated gas and smoke discharge systems for daylight holdup robberies



ec. R3, 1932. F. J. BRIDGEMAN 1,893,571

FOOT CONTROL FOR MECHANICALLY OPERATED GAS AND SMOKE DISCHARGE SYSTEMS FOR DAYLIGHT HOLDUP ROBBERIES Filed May 6, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l Invea afar:

Frani J16? ec. 13, 1932. F. J. BRIDGEMAN 1,390,671

FOOT CONTROL FOR MECHANICALLY OPERATED GAS AND SMOKE mscmmes SYSTEMS FOR DAYLIGHT nowur nosasnms Filed May 6, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 13, 1932. ,F. J. BRIDGEMAN 1,890,671

FOOT CONTROL FOR MECHANICALLY OPERATED GAS AND SMOKE DISCHARGE SYSTEMS FOR DAYLIGHT HOLDUP ROBBERIES Filed May 6, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 13, 1932 FRANK J'. BRIDGEMAN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE LAKE ERIE CHEMICAL COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO FOOT CONTROL FOR MECHANICALLY OPERATED GAS AND SMOKE DISCHARGE SYSTEMS FOR DAYLIGHT HOLDUP ROBBERIES Application filed m a, 1932. Serial No. 609,736.

This invention relates to foot controls for mechanically operated gas and smoke discharge systems for daylight hold-up robberies, of the kind that may be installed in banks, ticket ofiices, pay windows, stores, etc., and are self-contained in that no electric supply circuits are used to actuate the gas and smoke discharge guns.

An object of the invention is to provide a foot control for gas and smoke discharge systems to be used in the event of a daylight hold-up robbery, which operates entirely by mechanical power, for example by the storedup energy of springs, said energy being lib- 5 erated by the movement of a foot-control device conveniently located near the pay window, or the like.

A further object is to provide a foot con trol, suitablv connected with a tension wire circuit, which when actuated will release the tension wire and discharge all of the gas and smoke guns connected in the tension wire circuit.

A further object is to provide a foot control constructed to release a tension wire when actuated bv a foot movement.

A further obiect is to provide a foot control which requires more than one movement of the foot actuating bar to relea e the tension wire. so that an accidental di turbance of the foot bar will not discharge the device.

A further obiect is to provide afoot control which after one movement of the foot bar. accidental or otherwise. mav be re et so .as to again require more than one movement of the foot bar to discharge the device.

Other obiects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the specification.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partlv broken, showing .the outside appearance of the control, and also illustrating a part of the mech- 5 anism under the cover at one end, and showing a tension wire attached to a gas gun;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3, showing the inside of the left end support;

Fig. 3 is a front plan view of the foot contIJl, with the front half of the cover broken 0 i Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the foot control with the cover removed,showing fixed and movable parts of the device;

Figs. 5, 6. and 7 are views .on the line 55 of Fig. 3, of the right hand end of the control, showing the movable parts partly in elevatlon and partly in section, in different positions;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of parts of the release elements;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the line 99 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a partial view in elevation of the top of the release elements;

Fig. 11 is a view in elevation of the release plug; and Figs. 12 and 13 are views partly in sections, of a modified release element.

In Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, left and right end supports, 1, 2, are united by bracing rods 3,

4, 5. 6: a cover or foot rest 7 Figs. 1 and 3, protects the device from mechanical injury, and also serves as a foot rest. Depending from a cross-bar 8 are lobes 9, 10, which support the spring retracted foot movement bar 11, a spring 12 serving to keep the bar 11 retracted.

Extending rearwardly from the lobe 10 is an arm 13, which upon the forward movement of the foot bar 11 depresses a plunger 14, Figs. 5 and 7, which plunger 14 subsequently releases a tension wire plug 15 attached to the tension wire 16, which latter passes over a pulley 40 and through a bracket 41, and is then connected to a gas gun 34, or to a gun discharge system not shown.

- The plunger 14 moves in a casing 17, Fig.

8. and is maintained under tension by the spring 18; the plunger 14 being provided with a groove 19 which serves as a receive-r for a ball 20. as described hereafter. Adjacent the'casing 17 is the slotted bar 21 provided with a slot 22, a recess 23 in which rests a spr ng 24 and a sma l plunger 25. A support 26, Figs. 8 and 10, which may be swivelled upon a pivot on the end support 2, is provided with an'enlarged hole in which moves a key rod 27 provided with a square end key rod section 28; a spring 29, mounted on the rod 27 between the support 26 and the end of the square key rod 28 tends to drive the rods 27 and 28 towards the plunger 14, Flg. 8, the square key rod 28 passing through the slot 22 in the bar 21, the key rod resting upon the small spring actuated plunger 25.

The casing 17 is drilled at 30 to receive the detachable tension wire plug 15, which latter is provided with a groove 31, Fig. 11. The outer end of the plug 15 is suitably perforated at 32 to receive the end of the tension wire 16. The casing 17 is also dril ed at 33 to receive the ball 20, the hole 33 being provided with a flap cover 35 to exclude dust.

As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the plug 15 which I is under considerable tension from the tension wire 16 is locked in position by the ball 20, the latter resting against the wall of the plunger 14, and inthe groove 31 of plug 15. With the foot control in its normal set condition, Fig. 5, the plunger 14 is spring pressed upward against the arm 13; upon a first outward movement of the foot bar 11, the arm 13, which has a limited movement, presses the plunger 14 down only far enough, a distance about equal to the thickness of the square key rod 28, for the end of the square key rod which presses against the upper end of plunger 14, to pass above the plunger and hold the same in the intermediate position and upon the release of the foot bar 11 the key rod 28 holds the plunger 14 down and will slide under the arm 13 as shown in Fig. 6; if the movement of the foot bar 11 was accidental. and it is desired to restore the plunger 14 to its position shown in Fig. 5, the handle bar 27, Figs. 8 and 10, is pulled back until the square key rod portion 28 is withdrawn and releases the plunger 14 which then rises to the set condition shown in Fig. 5.

As shown in Fig. 6, the plunger 14 is partly depressed and the square key rod 28 is over its end due to a first movement of the foot bar 11; a second movement of the foot bar 11 presses the plunger 14 still further until the ball 20 is pressed into the groove 19, Fig. 7 by the inclined surface of the groove 31 in plug 15, Fig. 11, thereby releasing the plug 15 from its engagement by the ball 20, the plug 15 be ng violent y withdrawn by the tension wire 16, and discharging the gun 34. The foot control has now been discharged and may be reset by keeping the foot bar 11 pressed outward as shown in Fig. 7, with the ball 20 in the groove 19. reinserting the plug 15, pulling out the handle bar 17, and thereby restoring the foot control to the condition shown in Fig. 5.

In the modificat on shown in 12 and 13, a pendulum 37 swivcllcd on a pin 38 is provided with a disc end 39; the disc 39 functions like the ball 20 in Figs. 8 and 9 to engage and release the plug 15.

I claim 1. In a foot control, a movable foot bar, astep-by-step release mechanism, said foot bar constructed to actuate said release mechanism, a tension wire plug, means in said release mechanism to releasably engage said plug, said release mechanism advanced to an intermediate position by a first movement of said foot bar, and said release mechanism advanced to a position to discharge said plug by a subsequent movement of said foot bar.

2. In a foot control, a movable foot bar, a step-by-step release mechanism, a movable plunger in said release mechanism, said foot bar constructed to depress said plunger upon movement, a spring actuated key rod, a tension wire plug, means in said release mechanism to releasably engage said plug, said key rod adapted to engage said plunger after said plunger received a first depression by said foot bar, said plunger adapted to release said plug upon a subsequent depression by said foot bar.

3. In a 'foot control, a movable foot bar, a release mechanism, a movable plunger in said release mechanism, said plunger adapte to be depressed to successive positions, said foot bar constructed to depress said plunger upon movement, a spring actuated key rod, a tension wire plug, said key rod adapted to engage said plunger after said plunger received a first depression by said foot bar, said key rod adapted to be withdrawn from engagement with said plunger and release said plunger to its original position.

4. In a foot control, a movable foot bar, a release mechanism, a movable plunger in said release mechanism, said plunger adapted to be depressed to successive positions, said foot bar constructed to depress said plunger upon movement, a tension wire plug, said plunger provided with a recess, said plug provided with a recess, a channel in said release mechanism communicating with said plunger and plug, a movable element in said channel between said plug and said plunger, said element adapted to engage said plug when' said plunger is in the normal position.

5. In a foot control, a movable foot bar, a release mechanism, a plunger in said mechanism adapted to be depressed by said foot bar, a tension wire plug adapted to be detachably engaged by said mechanism, and a. movable element in said mechanism adapted to detachably engage said plug when said plunger is in the normal position, and to discharge said plug when said plunger is in the discharge position.

6. In a foot control, a movable foot bar, a release mechanism, a plunger in said mechanism adapted to be depressed by said foot bar, a spring actuated key rod, said key rod adapted to engage said plunger and hold the same after a first depression of said plunger by said foot bar, said key rod adapted to be withdrawn from engagement with said plunger and release said plunger to its original position.

7. In a foot control, a foot bar, an arm on said foot bar, a release mechanism, a plunger in said mechanism, a key rod, said oot bar arm adapted to depress said plunger, said key rod adapted to engage said plunger after said plunger received a first depression, said foot bar arm adapted to depress said key rod and depress said plunger to the discharge position upon a second movement of said foot bar.

In testimony whereof I hereby aflix my signature.

FRANK J. BRIDGE it a 

